Time to say goodbye to trans fats. Health professionals have known for years that trans-fats, the artificial fats made during some forms of food processing, are bad for you. They’ve been shown to boost bad cholesterol and up your risk of heart disease and stroke. While some states and cities have banned their presence in food, the FDA is taking a national stance. “Artificial trans-fats are generally unsafe and food manufacturers will have to phase out their use over the next three years. The action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year. Under the ruling, partially hydrogenated oils are no longer ‘generally recognized as safe’ or GRAS. That means food manufacturers would have to ask the FDA for permission to use them in food products. The FDA encourages consumers seeking to reduce trans-fat intake to check a food’s ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oils to determine whether or not a product contains partially hydrogenated oils.” The ruling will go into effect three years from now, giving manufacturers ample time to switch over their recipes. In the meantime, steer clear of anything that has partially hydrogenated oils.